Rattlin Bog Drinking Game
Looking for a new drinking game to try? Try playing "Rattlin Bog" Drinking Game!
✍️ May 2, 2024
St. Patrick’s Day may only come once a year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate Irish culture all year round! What better way to do so than with an insanely fun drinking game?
Introducing the “Rattlin Bog” drinking game - a twist on the Irish song that turns a classic folk tune into a raucous night of beer with friends. Get ready to sing, drink, and have a good time!
How to Play “Rattlin Bog” Drinking Game
Playing the “Rattlin Bog” drinking game is easy! All you need is a group of friends, drinks of your choice, and the song “Rattlin Bog” by The Irish Rovers. Here’s how it works:
1. Gather the players.
Gather your closest friends in a circle and bring out your drinks. To make things interesting, ensure you have at least two or more players.
2. Choose a starting point.
Pick someone to start the “Rattlin Bog” drinking game, who will be the first person to take a drink. This can be done by either volunteering or playing a round of rock-paper-scissors.
3. Start the song
Put on “Rattlin Bog” and let it play through to familiarize everyone with the tune. If there’s someone new to the song, have them listen to the chorus a few times before starting.
4. Drink on cue!
This power hour game relies on the song, where a chorus is repeated between verses and progressively gets longer as it is repeated. The first lucky player drinks their drink throughout the first chorus of the song.
The first chorus goes like this: Now, in that bog, there was a tree, A rare tree and a rattlin’ tree, And the tree in the bog, And the bog down in the valley-o.
The second chorus: Now, on that tree, there was a branch, A rare branch and a rattlin’ branch, And the branch on the tree, And the tree in the bog, And the bog down in the valley-o.
5. Keep going!
Once they’re finished, they signal it’s time for the next player to start drinking during the second chorus, which would be longer, and so on. Keep singing and passing the drink until the song is over!
“Rattlin Bog” Game Rules
With all drinking games, there are rules to follow. Here are a few we recommend for the “Rattlin Bog” drinking game:
1. Make sure everybody is familiar with the song.
Because the “Rattlin Bog” drinking game revolves around the chorus, it’s essential to have everyone on the same page.
2. Pace yourself.
The song gets longer with each chorus, so don’t go too hard too early. Sip your drink throughout your chorus to avoid getting too tipsy.
👉 Suggested read: 7 Unique Irish Drinking Games
3. Establish a safe word.
If someone can’t finish their drink, they can call out a safe word to pass it on to the next player.
4. Sing along during the verses.
Don’t just sit there and drink during the choruses, join in on the fun and sing along!
Here’s how the verses go: Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog The bog down in the valley-o. Ho, ro, the rattlin’ bog, The bog down in the valley-o.
5. Switch it up!
Set a time limit for how long the “Rattlin Bog” drinking game will go, or sing the song yourselves, without music!
In the second variation, everyone sings the verses but only one player sings the chorus. If the player messes it up, you have to restart!
Now that you know how to play, gather your friends and try the “Rattlin Bog” drinking game. It’s the perfect addition to St. Patrick’s Day, any Irish-themed party, or just a fun night in with friends. Sláinte!
